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New Delhi
On the occasion of World Health Day, more than 200 wildlife protection organisations urged the World Health Organisation (WHO) to endorse a permanent ban on live wildlife markets and the use of wildlife in traditional medicine.
These organisations maintain that a ban on wildlife markets is urgently needed, to prevent the unregulated, unhygienic conditions and the proximity between humans and animals, which provides the perfect opportunity for pathogens to spread.
This risk is further exacerbated by the “cruel conditions” in which animals are typically farmed or collected from the wild, transported and held at such markets. This inevitably results in large numbers of different species being held nearby, causing immense stress and weakening of their immune systems, they added.
The letter comes at the time when the world is reeling under the outbreak of COVID-19, which is believed to have originated in a wildlife market in Wuhan.
Signed by more than 200 organisations, including World Animal Protection, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Humane Society International, Born Free and Wild Aid, the letter highlights the suspected COVID-19 link to a wildlife market in China.
The WHO must take action to achieve its mission to serve public health at all times by recommending that governments worldwide permanently ban live wildlife markets and the use of wildlife in traditional medicine, the letter says.
These actions would help protect human life from future pandemics such as COVID-19, it adds.
Sixty per cent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they originate from animals, with 70% of this is thought to originate from wild animals.
“While a robust global response is critical in detecting, treating and reducing transmission [of COVID-19], it is equally necessary to take vital measures to prevent similar emerging infectious diseases developing into pandemics with the associated threats to human life, and social and economic well-being, “ the letter states.
According to Gajender K Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection, India: “The World Health Organisation must be commended for its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. It is believed that this pandemic originated at a wildlife market, hence we are calling on WHO to unequivocally state the proven link between these markets and the serious threats they can cause to human health.
“WHO can help prevent future pandemics by excluding the use of wildlife from their endorsement of traditional medicine. This could help save lives in the future and help protect millions of wild animals that are unnecessarily and cruelly farmed or poached from the wild to supply this industry. Plant-based alternatives are recognised and available,” he said
The organisations want WHO to:
Recommend to governments to institute a permanent ban on live wildlife markets, drawing an unequivocal link between these markets and their proven threats to human health.
Recommend to governments that they address the potential risks to human health from the trade-in wildlife – including collection from the wild, ranching, farming, transport, and trade through physical or online markets for any purpose – and act to close down or limit such trade to mitigate those risks.
Unequivocally exclude the use of wildlife, including from captive-bred specimens, in the WHO’s definition and endorsement of Traditional Medicine and revise WHO’s 2014-2023 Traditional Medicine Strategy accordingly to reflect this change.
Assist governments and lead a coordinated response among the World Trade Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other multilateral organisations worldwide in awareness-raising activities to inform of the risks of wildlife trade to public health, social cohesion, economic stability, law and order, and individual health.
Support and encourage initiatives that deliver alternative sources of protein to subsistence consumers of wild animals, to further reduce the risk to human health.
